The present invention relates generally to electrical connections and, more particularly, to terminal strips with an improved creepage design.
Electrical connections having multiple electrically-isolated terminals, such as a terminal strip, fail when electric fields transmitted by components within the electrical connection exceed the dielectric strength of the electrically-insulating materials that isolate the terminals. Failure can occur in one or more of three modes; electrical breakdown along the insulating material surfaces between the terminals (creepage), electrical breakdown through the insulating material (bulk), or electrical breakdown across a gap between conductors (gap). Because electrical connections are readily designed to avoid electrical breakdown across a gap between conductors and the bulk dielectric strength of an insulating material is typically greater than the creepage dielectric strength of an insulating material, electrical connections can commonly fail by electrical breakdown along the insulating surfaces. Moreover, contamination (e.g. dirt, grease, oil) within the electrical connection further reduces the creepage dielectric strength, particularly after the electrical connection is placed in service.
Therefore, a need exists to provide an electrical connection such as a terminal strip in which the insulating components are configured to improve the creepage dielectric strength and limit contamination within the electrical connection.